SVMC collects over 3,000 pounds of unused medication through MedSafe box

BENNINGTON, VT—October 23, 2024—Over the last seven years, the MedSafe drop box in the lobby of Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) has collected over 3,000 pounds of unused medications.

SVMC, a member of Dartmouth Health, collects and safely disposes of unused or expired controlled substances and over-the-counter medications. The goal is to keep the drugs from being abused, sold or from being flushed down a toilet, which can cause pharmaceutical contamination in the water supply.

Members of the SVMC’s Security and Pharmacy Department, along with the Bennington Police Department, recently marked the 3,000-pound milestone, which comes just before National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 26. On National Take Back Day local community members are encouraged to clean out their medicine cabinets and use the secure MedSafe box for proper disposal.

The front lobby box looks like a mailbox, featuring a one-way medicine drop. Several features ensure security, including a double-locked front panel. Medications can be removed for disposal only when both a member of the Bennington Police Department and a member of the hospital staff are present. In addition, the box is monitored by video.

The program was made possible through The Shires RX Alliance, a grant from the Vermont Department of Health; and cooperation from the Bennington Police Department. Several community members also provide funding for MedSafe’s ongoing expenses.

Photo Caption: Bennington Police Lt. Camillo A. Grande, with SVMC’s Security Manager Eddie Pascucci, Pharmacy Director Rob Sherman and Administrative Assistant Ginger Ritchie gathered recently to mark the latest collection of unused medications, which has brought total collection to over 3,000 pounds of medications since the program began.

About SVMC:

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), a member of Dartmouth Health, is a comprehensive, preeminent, health care system providing exceptional, convenient, and affordable care to the communities of Bennington and Windham Counties of Vermont, eastern Rensselaer and Washington Counties of New York, and northern Berkshire County in Massachusetts. SVMC includes the Dartmouth Cancer Center at SVMC, the SVHC Foundation, as well as 25 primary and specialty care practices. Southwestern Vermont Medical Center is among the most lauded small rural health systems in the nation. It is the recipient of the American Hospital Association’s 2020 Rural Hospital Leadership Award. In addition, SVMC is a five-time recipient of the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence. SVMC provides exceptional care without discriminating on the basis of an individual’s age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. Language assistance services, free of charge, are available at 1-800-367-9559.